+ 1 for the Big Apples. I don't know if they still make the "Liteskin" version; I expect not, since that was meant, I think, to be a "performance" model* that has long since been replaced by lighter and presumeably faster tires, but the "base" model Big Apple that I used in the early 2000s was for its bulk* a quite nice rolling tire. I used both 26" X 60 mm and 700C X 60, the Liteskin only in the latter size.
I once gave a pair of modern (2018) 700C X 60 Big Apple standards to a friend who had been commuting on cheap knobbies. His performance report was: "Wow!" Both standard (again, 15 years ago; can't speak of new ones) and Liteskin models seemed to have the same tread and puncture belt, but the LS had more supple sidewalls. Both Big Apple models were *almost* goathead-proof -- tubes, no sealant. I'd come out of the bosque after a long dirt ride with scores of thorns in the tread, brush them off, and the tires were still holding air a couple of days later. On pavement, not quite as proof, but they still resisted *most* thorns compared to the other tires I used. * The 700C X 60 standard weighed 900 grams (2 whole lbs!), while the Liteskin was a svelte, pared-down, racing weight ... 800 grams! But again, both seemed to roll pretty well for the mass and the puncture resistance. (For perspective: my current Schwalbe Big Ones, the same height and breadth as the 700C Big Apples, weigh 450 grams each; and roll like racing tires, I kid you not. But viable only with sealant.) My only experience with Marathons was with the 20 Marathon Racers that were OEM on my Dahon Hon Solo. Bow wow wow wow wow. *Wow wow!* I replaced them with (also Schwalbe) Kojaks -- better indeed; and then with Kenda Power Bands or somesuch; better yet. On Thu, Sep 26, 2019 at 3:09 AM Ian A <attew...@gmail.com> wrote: > I've been surprised at how well Schwalbe Big Apple tires roll, especially > considering their resilience. I'd recommend those based on how good they > seem to ride on my commuter bike. Mine are 26"x 2" and feel faster than the > Marathon Plus that were on before. > > In terms of the black speckles, it looks almost like grime from fresh > tarmac or sun softened tarmac. A wide and long mudflap on the front fender > should mitigate the issue. > > IanA > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/31249b7e-dcef-4a47-9c05-bf26254a9ce4%40googlegroups.com > . > -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Patrick Moore Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CALuTfgt9kyZQQuEm%2BHZ9cO7VUX1jbqojjv8e%3Dm8wx99ddf5qpQ%40mail.gmail.com.
